Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, accusing him of invading her privacy and retaliating against her after she reported sexual harassment on set. The lawsuit, filed on December 20 in New York federal court, claims Baldoni entered her makeup trailer without invitation while she was undressed, along with other allegations. Lively is also suing Baldoni’s publicist and Wayfarer Studios for their alleged role in retaliating against her following the complaints.
The legal battle intensified when Baldoni filed a counter-lawsuit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of making false claims of sexual harassment. In a response, Baldoni’s team released a 10-minute video from It Ends With Us, in an attempt to prove the incident in question was part of a scene filmed with mutual consent and professionalism. The video depicts Lively and Baldoni dancing in a bar and engaging in conversation between takes.
However, Lively’s legal team has rejected Baldoni’s video, asserting that it contradicts the actor’s claims. In a statement, Lively’s team stated, “Justin Baldoni and his lawyer may hope that this latest stunt will get ahead of the damaging evidence against him, but the video itself is damning.” They further argue that the footage aligns with specific details from Lively’s complaint, showing Baldoni engaging in inappropriate behaviour, including attempting to kiss her, rubbing his face against her neck, and making unsolicited comments about her appearance. Lively’s team emphasized that these actions were not scripted or pre-discussed and occurred without consent, underlining that no intimacy coordinator was present.
The statement continued: “Every moment of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni… No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent.” Lively’s representatives also accused Baldoni of using the video to manipulate public opinion, calling it an unethical move that further perpetuates harassment and retaliation.
It Ends With Us, a film based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling 2016 novel, stars Lively and Baldoni in the lead roles. The movie is currently streaming on Netflix, but the ongoing legal dispute has cast a shadow over its release. The case remains in active litigation in federal court.